Famine is looming, but hope remains
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/06/2022 (1232 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
I was recently driving through Turkana county in northern Kenya, where I was visiting as part of my work with Canadian Foodgrains Bank, when something exciting happened: the driver had to turn on the windshield wipers.
In Winnipeg, this is a common occurrence, especially in recent weeks. But not in Turkana. This was the first time, I was told, it had rained in the last year. The county is in the midst of a deep drought, receiving infrequent and insufficient rain since 2019. So, the pitter-patter of rain on our car was a cause for excitement and celebration.
Drought is not new to Turkana. People are used to coping with dry conditions. But droughts are happening more regularly and lasting longer than they used to, and the strategies people used in the past are no longer enough to cope with these worsening shocks.
Most people in Turkana raise livestock for their livelihood. Owing to the drought, it is increasingly hard to find water for livestock or vegetation for them to eat. County officials reported to us that 80 per cent of boreholes and water pumps are now dry.
Much of the vegetation animals rely on has been consumed and will not grow back until there is more rain. As a result, livestock are getting sick and dying. And since livestock are not in good health and there is a glut in the market, prices are down. Whereas people could once expect to get 4,000 Kenyan shillings (C$45) for a goat, they are now lucky to get 1,500 KES (C$17).
In addition to the drought, the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically slowed investment and halted construction projects, meaning many people lost their jobs. Just as in Canada, most public-health measures are now lifted in Kenya, but economic activity has been slow to return to normal in Turkana.
To make matters worse, food prices have started rising dramatically. In recent months, the price of basic staples such as maize flour and vegetable oil has doubled. A bag of maize that cost 1,300 KES in December now costs 2,500 KES (C$28) in Lodwar, the capital of Turkana.
To make matters worse, food prices have started rising dramatically.
As a result of the drought and these other impacts, the Kenyan government describes Turkana as being at alarm status, with the National Drought Management Authority of Kenya reporting that 70 per cent of the Turkana population is now at risk of food insecurity.
Malnutrition, particularly among children, has seen a dramatic uptick and is now 33 per cent higher than normal.
Unfortunately, the Turkana experience is not unique. Hunger is on the rise globally, with 193 million people now considered acutely food insecure, according to the recently released Global Report on Food Crises. This is an increase of nearly 40 million people, or 25 per cent, from last year’s record high.
Conflicts, natural disasters and the economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the worsening situation. As Russia and Ukraine are both major food exporters, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to large food-price increases globally, with disastrous effects for those already on the margins. In the coming months, more people than ever will experience hunger.
The situation is grim, but not hopeless. In Turkana I got the opportunity to see the work of ADRA Kenya, a partner of the Foodgrains Bank, that we are supporting with funding from the government of Canada. ADRA Kenya is providing 6,660 KES (approximately C$75) per month to households so they can buy food and meet household needs. Participants said that, as a result of this assistance, their families no longer went to sleep hungry and children are no longer experiencing malnutrition.
In addition to meeting short-term needs, ADRA is also helping people diversify their incomes. Women and men are starting farms in places where irrigation is possible, establishing businesses and improving the pastureland for their livestock. The project is meeting immediate needs, while trying to lessen the impact of the frequent and worsening shocks people in Turkana are experiencing.
The rain we experienced that day did not last long. The drought in Turkana continues. With the situation continuing to worsen in Turkana – just as it is in many other parts of the world – it is critical that we do not turn our backs on the hunger crisis that millions of people are facing.
Stefan Epp-Koop is program manager for Canadian Foodgrains Bank’s HERD program, which does humanitarian and development work in eight countries around the globe. Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end hunger.
History
Updated on Thursday, June 2, 2022 7:59 AM CDT: Fixes headline